Refrigerating apparatus, including hydraulic lift



S. G. PRICE March 1, 1949. I

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS, INCLUDING HYDRAULIC LIFT Filed June 24, 1946 I mmmwwww INVENTOR STANLEY G. PRICE Patented Mar. 1, 1949 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS, INCLUDING HYDRAULIC LIFT Stanley G. Price, Bainbridge, N. Y.

Application June 24, 1946, Serial No. 679,023

4 Claims. (Cl. 62141) This invention relates to apparatus of the character particularly adapted for use in the refrigeration of perishable matter such as milkin relatively heavy receptacles or cans of forty quart size. The apparatus to which the invention pertains includes a tank containing a cooling liquid or fluid into which the closed receptacles or cans are placed for refrigeration. It has previously been necessary to lower the milk cans or receptacles into the tank by hand operated means and also to raise the cans or receptacles from the tank in the same manner after the cans were properly cooled.

The primary object of the present invention is to obviate the heretofore required manual lowering and lifting operations for'the milk cans or receptacles in use with apparatus of this type. In accordance with the invention, a hydraulically operated lift or platform for carrying the cans or receptacles is provided in the tank for performing the noted functions.

Other objects, features and structural details of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying the present inventive concepts in which part of the front and side Walls of the tank have been cut away to show the interior of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the connections to the hyldraulic pump illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a further detail view illustrating the means for limiting the operation of the platform raising means.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the improved cooling apparatus includes a tank indicated at 40 which contains a suitable level of refrigerative fluid or liquid-therein. In the cooler illustrated, the fluid employed in the tank H3 is water. Further, the volume of the tank is greater than the combined volumes of the cooling fluid and the milk cans. The level of the cooling liquid as indicated at 42 in the tank is sufliciently high to cover the top of the submerged milk cans. As shown, the tank 10 has a cover H' fixed at one end of the same on which a. housing I2 is provided for the required means for refrigerating and circulating the water in the tank. Inasmuch as, per so, this means forms no part of the present invention, the same has not been illustrated in detail in the drawing.

When installed, the tank I is preferably located so that the floor or ground level indicated at l3 relative thereto makes it unnecessary for the operator to lift the cans or receptacles to be placed in the tank. Tank It may also include a hinged cover as indicated at H.

A can or receptacle for the matter to be refrigerated is indicated at l5. As shown, receptacle I5 is a can adapted to contain forty quarts of milk. In accordance with the present invention, a platform or lift "5 movably mounted in the tank III is adapted to support or carry a number of receptacles l5 thereon so the receptacles can be lowered into the cooling liquid or water in the tank and after being properly cooled can be raised out of the cooling liquid or water to a height at which the same can be removed from the apparatus without manual lifting.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, platform mounted on legs ll, l8, l9 and 20 situated at the respective corners thereof that extend from the bottom wall of the tank l0. Each of the legs is constructed of a number of telescoping cylinders as indicated at 2|, 22, 23 and 24 in Fig. 3. The respective legs form a part of a hydraulic means for raising the lift l3. Liquid is supplied to the hydraulic means by way of pipe 25 to leg ll, pipe 26 to leg I8, pipe 21 to leg l9, pipe 28 to leg 20 and common supply pipes 29, 30 and 3|; In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the hydraulic means is operated by a hydraulic pump generally indicated at 32 that is driven by a suitable electric motor 33; both of which are mounted on fixed cover I l. The hydraulic raising means is mounted 'within the tank below the lift l6. An off-on switch 34 having a movable arm 35 connects motor 33 to a suitable source of power (not shown) when it is desired to drive the hydraulic pump 32. The inlet connection for pump 32 is provided by pipe 36 which extends into the cooling fluid in the tank l0 so that the hydraulic means utilizes the liquid or water in the tank under pressure to raise the platform Hi When it is situated at the bottom of the tank. The outlet connection of the pump 32 is fed by :way of pipe 37 through one way valve 38 and by way of two way valve 39, in the position shown in Fig. 2, to the legs ll, l8, l9 and 20 of the hydraulic means. In the other position of valve 39, the liquid required to raise the platform i6 is discharged by way of pipe or connection 40 so that the water within the extended legs returns to' the tank l0. Valve 39 provides a means for operating the platform or lift IE to permit the receptacles or cans to be lowered by action of gravity into the cooling liquid due to the weight thereof. The hydraulic system including legs [1, l8, l9 and 20, the connecting pipes and pump 32 provide the means for operation of the hydraulic means.

raising the platform [6 to lift the cans or receptacles out of the water in the tank.

Means are also provided in the form of a bracket 40 pivotally mounted on cover H to limit the As shown in Fig. 3, one end of bracket ll cooperates with the platform 16 to move the other end thereof so that switch arm 35 is automatically urged to an off position when the platform has reachedits desired elevation in the tank In. This renders the motor 33 or pump operating means ineifective.

Since many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for refrigerating perishable matter contained in closed receptacles including, a tank adapted to contain cooling liquid, means for cooling the liquid, a lift in said tank adapted to support the receptacles, hydraulic means connecting said tank and lift operable to raise the lift, a hydraulic pump, an inlet connection to said pump from said tank, an outlet connection from said pump to said hydraulic means, means for operating said pump, and a discharge connection between said hydraulic means and said tank having a valve therein operable to permit said lift to lower by action of gravity.

2. In apparatus for refrigerating perishable matter contained in closed receptacles, the combination of, a tank adapted to contain a cooling liquid, means for cooling the liquid, a lift in said tank adapted to support the receptacles, hydraulic '4 means connecting said tank and lift operable to raise the lift, a hydraulic pump. an inlet connection to said pump from said tank, an outlet connection from said pump to said hydraulic means, and means for operating said pump.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, including means for rendering said pump operating means ineifective when the lift reaches a predetermined raised position in the tank.

4. In apparatus for refrigerating perishable matter contained in closed receptacles, the combination of, a tank adapted to contain cooling liquid, means for cooling the liquid, a lift in said tank adapted to support the receptacles, hydraulic means connecting said tank and lift operable to raise the lift, and a discharge connection between said hydraulic means and said tank having 'a valve therein operable to permit said lift to lower by action of gravity.

v STANLEY G. PRICE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 227,503 Dorsey et al May 11, 1880 430,655 Kimball Jan. 24,1890 593,021 Hyde Nov. 2, 1897 669,014 Payne Feb. 26, 1901' 1,050,782 Anderson Jan. 21, 1913 1,846,192 Daniels Feb. 23, 1932 2,203,439 Oliver June 4, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country v Date 8,659 Denmark July 16, 1906 

